New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-02
SOCIETY AT THE CAPITAL.
GRAVE QUESTIONS OF ETIQUETTE.

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hRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rHrBuNE..
WASHINGTON, Jan. l. Society wishing for
Congress- Of Vienna" to settle little points OF
etiquette that each session bring into Official
society at the Capital Not yoar passes without sono
Voxoa question OF precedence disturbing tho social
peace No season, however short. is complete without
tno soewn discussions that ucrous because OF the
eArnestness with which they carried on This
question Involving first calls between the Cabinet
and Senate families. Like the tariff 1t Is not patty
lssue ana there horizontal reduction atou. It, II
square, out and out question OF who shall call first;
the Cabinet women the Senate womsn vice versa
For years. In fact snos tue social structure OF the
Republic was founded the wives OF the Cabinet officers
have called first tho wives OF the Senator's But the
Presidential Succession ill has changed all that decllrs
the Cabinet women by throwing tho dynasty into the
CABINET. We are possible heirs to the throne and
tho Senator's wives should call nrst they said
Then they laid tho question before tue Secretary OF State
who, himself being the first In the ne and at present
the nearest heir TO the Inheritance wound naturally be
the most interested Mr. Bayard looked up the rules for
diplomatic precedence prescribed by the Department OF
State for Its agents but found nothing bearing this
vexed question Of first oas He carefully etuded the
seven rules passed by tho Vienna Congress IN 1915.
but IN vain. Tho Vienna Congress had made all plain
sailing Tor tho diplomatic service, but not Ons rule In the
soyen OF earthly use seemed to furnish any
basis for decision upon this matter. which the peace
and haI pness OF four and more official families
the Secretary Of State. being decide ques
ton, advised dropping 1t for tho present learn from
an authentic source that Tho ahvios was grounded
the fact that tho would DO snort and the
hope that something would up before season.
| by which the matter would aust itself Tbere are
various c0pecures To what Mr. Bay Ard hopes will
turn uI Ipecs 1t to adjust llsc whether
lie has any hopes pectatOns at ALL or SIMPLY fell on
this advice tue easiest way out o tho cor picatoD
However tho advice has tern tacty accepted aud the
Calling though brisk, Is we'll uaier No bulo-
tins have issued but II is understood that tho
Of the Cabinet officers WILL as heretofore, mako tue
first calls the Senator'S wives. or cannot
tell what may happen Before next season. As Mr. Bay
arb fon y hopes something may turn up" to bring
relief and amicablc adjustment
81 viii tell you how IL will end" sid an exCabnet
also ex- Senator when tue question was much
! talked of 10 few weeks ago.
How will they srtu itr he asked with feeling
confidence fairness of who had been in tho
| Cabinet and Senate too.
sou, there will be change Tho Cabinet families
will so right o.. making first calls Just AS they have
always done and for tho reason that has always
existed. The Senate makes the Cabinet by confirmation
and the President dsnisses Cabinet ollie at
pleasure But tho SENATOR owe nothing to tho Pres
dent. They elected. Inc Gresdeu tia succession
bill confers dignity on the Cabinet whatever. 1t
simply provides for an emergency
IL would from TINS poiDt OF view that the Pres
denA succession Oil has nothing TO do with The cuse
nrsi calls. In the meantime the senators wives have
net Uecn silent on tho subject They nave talked not
loudly very earnestly Tho result Is that II they
yield this point Of the Supreme Coat Justices
must make the concession. H." said DemO-
senator's wite NO mako first calls on the Cabinet
families why should not tho judged wives also make
first calls Why should not tho Court recognize tile
hsira to tho throne we'll tho senatoi SEQ no dif
ference T. quito ready TO yield tho point II
IN. Judses wives also iod Otherv se, confess am
m a ko.lt
families" -,
wives promptly tIs season. IS formerly. and have
raised tho question with he Court al all lhis
fact aud tho wcllKuo~n orilns That tho Court IS
senators wives In thor discrimination not to
step Deir pedestal Tho only hr-t oalis
wives This couee.sion auout fully quarter of
century back. oecsuse tho judges. wive. were oe.r
nobody supposes Tor moment that the Court Will
curt Jnstieo caused :. great 1uDbuo Blue
tno hits House ny standing up for her Ilxnta The
of speaker given PRECEDENCE her In tho
line at this sa,ur4a, tOn haypened th,t there
Vice President theh and un'er tho OH law the
Sp-aaer ih the SUCCESSION, and would hayo been
President In II. event Of Tue Presidents death. For
some mnutss ths sue ho9" WIS ,.e scene Oh 'vy
place assigned her below tho Speakers wife, "Come
~fo OF an Official whose RANK placed Ter above the
nue. No. iudeod. I will not give way to woman
husband IS on the ooneh iOf life. We'll should say
not; For tue sate Of peace and to prevent turt.er
went down, TO Keep tue Judges wife quiet
Etquste in the White House scems less complicated
tLon elsewhere. There Is question Of FIRST calls or
last calls It IL especially simple II the President has
wiie shs IL much tho acknowledged mistress ~ Ito IA
tho ackno sledged President II has beon said that Mrs
Clev ready TO accept suggestions from
society who would be her ads sers she Is not
pDable young and insII crienced woman WAS or
peced to bo Now suspect tho Presidents wife has a
mind OF own and intens TO DO governed some what
by her OF what IA riorer and right And why
mott While certain fixed rules governing tho
Gnte House. It docs not follow that zach Presidents
wife must walk sqn"rey IN tue oos!eps OF ner prsde
ces,.r Mr.. Cleveland when Miss Folsom visiting AZ
persons grl OF much CHARACTER aud Quo SELF poised
quito beyond mOst young women OF twenty or twenty
ane Those who met after her marriage. anu
have met her recently during her six months
resu as mistress OF White uuss cannot but no m
pressed 10y tho change shs is oder but $40 10 NOT
less beautiful and attractive Her face retains Its fresh
loneliness ard winning ,mc hut sho has grown years
older In dignity self possession. aDd aaptaDllty ~ her
posi- ion This growth hns Dcen rapid, 80 rapid AS TO
astonish all who meet her IL IL true sho has been
almost wholly IN tho society OF women much older thau
herself siuce shc became tho Presidents VIE. but
aside from this influence on her character .he does not
stko oser having been OF light ana gay nature
woman OF tnoneh not pious but religious in tho
Of conscience and CHARITY; WOMAN not Oh views
is no secret that she s believer temperance. and Is
in SYM sthy with tho best efforts Of tomIerance adyo
Womans Christian pcrancc Union, has heen. and Is
now, warm personal friond Of Mira Cleveland aud
may favor the csusc Ms the Presidents wifo .ho Is mot
likely TO Introduce cold Hater Innovations AT the White
House. unless should be- following thc example OF Miss
Cleveland TO omit wines at los unche0ns. Thcro are
many la onlc.l society here VINO approved OF
Miss Cevslands cold water luncheons and they would
Mrs. Ccvoands step IN the same direction was right
Now that the YlanOr OF tho White House wedding ana
praise OF tho Whit House bride have vanished Into
memory IL apparent that tho Preidents wife Is not
only beautiful woman TO bo admired but Is u womaniy
bo liked for herself.
Tho President has INDUCED tho public In no handshak
Ing this week. Deiisve Ia tho first week since his
WHOM ho has boon In the CITY, that Ito has
failed to hold the hnlf past oclock hsndshakng with
public. But his rheumatism kept him upstairs all
tho weok. tho disappointment OF the strangers
here On Wednesday there largo party OF teachers